The holidays are here so enjoy them with any one of these delicious dessert made with fresh ingredients grown or produced right here in North Carolina.  We have a variety to choose from so head to your farmers market or look for the "locally grown" sign in your grocery store.  Fresh is best and it will make a difference in your holiday cooking. The holidays are all about spending time with friends and family and enjoying traditions and nothing says it like some good cookin'!

Don't forget about all the fresh trees, poinsettia's and wreaths that are available as well!  Our #1 tree is the Fraser Fir and for the second year in a row a NC Fraser Fir will grace the White House. 

• 1 pound sweet potatoes, cooked and peeled
• 1/4-cup butter or margarine
  
• 1 (14-ounce) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
  (NOT evaporated milk)
  
• 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
  
• 1-teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• 1-teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 1-teaspoon ground nutmeg
  
• 1/4-teaspoon salt
  
• 2 eggs
  
• ¼ cup caramel ice cream topping
  
• ½ cup pecan pieces
  
• ½ cup miniature marshmallows
  
• 1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust or just unroll crust into a 9-inch pie plate

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place crust into pie plate and shape.  Drizzle bottom of crust with caramel and scatter pecans on top of caramel.  In large bowl, beat sweet potatoes and butter until smooth. Add Eagle Brand, orange rind, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and eggs; mix well. Pour into crust. Bake 40 minutes or until golden brown. Top with marshmallows and broil until just toasted. Cool. Garnish as desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

• 1-1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 1/4 cup  (1/2 stick) butter, melted
  
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
  
• 4 pkg.  (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
  
• 1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla
  
• 1 cup Sour Cream
  
• 4   eggs
  
• 4 cups apples, peeled, chopped (about 3 NC apples)
  
• 3/4 cup chopped NC Pecans
  
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 325°F. Line 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Mix graham crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. brown sugar; press onto bottom of prepared pan.

Beat cream cheese, 1-cup brown sugar and the vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust. Mix remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, the apples, pecans and cinnamon; spoon evenly over cheesecake batter.

Bake 55 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours. Use foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve.

• 1 box Swiss Chocolate or German Chocolate Cake Mix
  
• 1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix
  
• 1 ½ cups milk
  
• 3 eggs
  
• ¾ cups oil

Mix together and pour into 3 (9 inch) pans that have been sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes.

Icing:

• 1 (8oz) cream cheese
  
• 1 cup powdered sugar
  
• ½ cup sugar

Cream together then fold in:

• 12 oz. cool whip
  
• 4 Hershey bars with almonds (chopped)

Put icing between the layers and around the sides. Refrigerate.

Lynda teamed up with Walter J. Royal the executive chef of The Angus Barn Ltd. in Raleigh North Carolina.  The 46 year-old chef flexes his creative muscles by developing special menus in the restaurant's exclusive Wine Cellar Room.  Here are two creations using NC sweetpotatos and NC Pork.

• 3 lbs. sweet potatoes, washed, peeled and medium diced1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
  
• 12 pieces of bacon, diced
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  
• Scallions, chopped
  
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  
• 1 tsp. texas pete

Heat oil in 10 inch sauté pan on medium heat until lightly smoking.  Add bacon and cook until done.  Stir in onion and sauté until translucent.  Add sweet potatoes and cook until potatoes start to brown.  Add scallions, salt and pepper and texas pete and stir.  Turn off heat